- Not preparing for the interview (not knowing the work history of the person, calling the job seeker by the wrong name).

- Not returning phone calls.

- Not notifying candidates when the job has been given to someone else.

Human resource people, on the other hand, are aggravated by job seekers who:

- Send resumes with no indication of the job they want.

- Send resumes directed to openings for which they are not the least qualified.

- Send multiple e-mail resumes.

- Call repeatedly when they have been requested not to call.

Job seekers forget that human resource people have multiple duties and that the HR person might not have control over the timing of the hire.

On the other hand, some HR people seem to see job seekers not as individuals but as part of the horde at the gate. They delay communications even with the people who have interviewed with them.

So what's the solution? Job seekers, send customized materials to a few employers each week, follow up to ask for a meeting, and listen to the feedback you're getting from the recipient of your attention.

And HR staffers, if you don't want hundreds of resumes, don't advertise so broadly. If you can't reliably get back to the eight or nine people you interview, limit yourself to five interviews. Create a plan to handle the response, including the follow-up you owe candidates.